The campaign for a Ravenscraig memorial to the thousands who died working in the Scottish steel industry has been given a boost.

A £2,500 donation has been handed over to the Scottish Steelworkers Memorial Fund by Lanarkshire Enterprise Services, bringing the fund ever closer to its target of around £150,000.

The cheque was presented to Memorial Fund chairman Terry Currie by Annette Bell, chairperson of Lanarkshire Enterprise Services Limited since its inception and a director of county company Bell Group UK.

LESL is a non-profit making social enterprise which, for more than 20 years, has provided a specialist business support service to individuals, businesses and social enterprises across Lanarkshire who want to start, grow and develop their businesses.

The fundraising campaign - backed by the Times and Speaker - was launched in December 2012.

Mr Currie said: “We are most grateful for this valued contribution which now puts us in a position to consider placing the sculpture contract.

“There are still a few procedures and legalities to sort out, but we are fairly optimistic that the ‘Steelworker-outline’ monument will be in place about this time next year.”

Annette Bell said: “The concept behind LESL is all about developing Lanarkshire for the good of the Lanarkshire people – and an absolute core of that reflects the steel industry which brought Lanarkshire to where it is now.

“We thought it was extremely important to recognise the steel-workers and the contribution they made to the economy of this area.

“What better way to demonstrate that than by supporting this project as a means of paying tribute to the many Steelworkers who worked so hard under difficult conditions.”